(PRWEB) January 26, 2012
An artist working on the Olympic Park has paid tribute to the workers building the London 2012 Games by recreating his own version of an iconic painting by French post-impressionist Georges Seurat.
The National Gallery, which houses the original masterpiece, expressed that Neville Gabie the Olympic Parks artist in residence – had imaginatively reinterpreted the famous Bathers at Asnieres for a post-industrial age.
Gabies version is called Freeze Frame. Seurats original can be seen here.
The image by Gabie forms part of the Olympic Delivery Authoritys (ODA) Art in the Park programme, and will be exhibited at the View Tube a community viewpoint and cafe overlooking the Olympic Park near Pudding Mill Lane DLR station from January 28-March 18.
Gabies photograph recreates the 1884 pointillist paintings composition, with the characters inhabiting the image taken from across the Olympic Park, including landscape gardeners, engineers, designers and security staff. The image reflects the range of tasks, diversity and skills of those delivering the venues and infrastructure ahead of this summer.
The ODA commissioned Gabie as Artist in Residence in September 2010, with funding from the Arts Council. Gabie has produced a variety of artworks and projects during his 15-month residency, which respond to the physical changes of the site and the huge range of jobs, skills and personalities that have delivered the project.
John Armitt, ODA chairman said: ‘The ODAs Art in the Park programme has strived to commission original and meaningful works. Neville Gabies unique take on Seurats 19th Century masterpiece will capture both the imagination and attention of art lovers as well as all those who have worked on the Park.
It is a fitting tribute to everyone who has worked so hard to ensure the project will finish on time, within budget and to an excellent standard.’
Neville Gabie said: ‘There is an obvious and surprising physical connection between the two landscapes, but the concept for the work explores the more striking similarities between the social and political contexts of the two. When Seurat painted the Bathers at Asni